Career Choice Taking You Sideways? How To Get Back On Track!

I mean, you like your job pretty much. But you can't seem to get ahead. And then there's that nagging feeling that somehow you missed the mark. You can tell because you feel lousy when you get upon Monday morning.

So what do you do?

Well, let's take a look at a couple career choice facts. Our careers are certainly something we choose because of our aptitudes and interests. But you must also be prepared to shape your career consistent with the demands of the job marketplace.

If you're not in tune with the routine as well as the unexpected in the marketplace . . . if you can't adapt to fluctuations, demands and requirements . . . then you run the risk of being trapped in dead-end or inferior jobs, unrewarding relationships and limited dollar potential.

So how do you avoid that trap? How do you make an intelligent career choice and learn how to take control so that success, money, enjoyment and challenge are an expected part of the future?

Here are 4 steps.

First, you have to revolutionize your thinking about your career choice and specific job search. They exist amidst the frenetic pace of economic change. They're impacted by the high-tech revolution and other dramatic forces shaping the 21st Century. You have to acknowledge that an employer is subject to the same dynamics.

Secondly, you surface, examine and then believe in your most bankable assets: qualifying experiences, transferable skills, and work-style values and qualities. And these aren't limited to what you might find on your resume.

Thirdly, identify any concerns, liabilities, problems or areas of resistance that could become a stumbling block for any employer. Be prepared to deal with them professionally and non-defensively.

Fourthly, take the time to explore what you're worth in the marketplace. Your value to an employer is not going to be based on what you're used to be paid. Finding out in advance what a particular job is worth in a certain industry or organization gives you a real leg up when it's time to negotiate.

In the final analysis, the ultimate career choice strategy is to be in control. That means managing your job search like a small business.

If you think of your career as a small business, the source of your income and job satisfaction as well as future growth and advancement, then you'll want to manage it carefully. Putting ourselves in control is like having a long-term insurance policy for success.